Environment Query: Would a polished Diorama be portfolio effective?

Brian "Panda" Choi

A good question that came up with a coworker of mine at Martin Brinkerhoff' Associates.

If an environment artist is strapped for time, perhaps very invested in providing a wide-range of styles, and still can polish, would a series of dioramas instead of a WHOLE level be just as effective for an environment portfolio piece to you as an art director/art producer/ etc? Same breakdowns, same work process, just by volume not a whole playable level.

What I mean by diorama and the scale at which I'm thinking:

Geezus

Absolutely.
This comes to mind, as a solid example of what you'd want to shoot for.

garcellano

Yeah, man. A cut-away or diorama is fine.
Literally what Geezus posted, Scott Homer's work on his diorama scene comes to mind.

CrackRockSteady

Agree with Geezus and garcellano. Most employers are aware of how much time goes into creating a large-scale environment and would much rather see a very well done albeit small diorama rather than an expansive environment that is half-assed or rushed because there was too much ground to cover.

Tobbo

Yeah dioramas are cool especially if done tastefully like Scott Homer's piece.

Jeff Parrott

Yes. Honestly most environment piece I've ever made for my portfolio is a diorama. I've never made a level for portfolio/personal. That would be more of a World Builder/Level Designer/Level Architect position I imagine.

Also it allows you to focus the viewer better. A good read on that topic is:

http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/phil_straub_composition_tutorial

chrisradsby

Dioramas are awesome! but Personally I've always built bigger things, obviously it takes a ridiculous amount of time and effort to do it but I also feel like the best environment pieces out there shows an artist that can create a bigger environment with excellent skills in art-direction, composition, modelling, technical knowledge, texturing, lighting etc.

Obviously but it takes some serious dedication to your work to make a bigger environment, it just because it's big doesn't mean it have to be half-assed or rushed.